Weeks 2,3 and 4 Faster Way ... Loving It!

Weeks 2,3 and 4 …

So I’m on week 4, day 4 today and it has been a really good ride on the journey to an awakening of resetting my physical and mental body.  I will not get too technical as this has become a definite way of life for me at this point. I had no idea of all the benefits of intermittent fasting but let me tell you it is very doable to say the least!  I am loving my options every single day! I must stress that this just takes some planning … for me at least, there is no mindless eating anymore! I am actually taking ownership of those gorgeous raspberries that I would usually buy for the rest of the house, but now it’s first come first serve since carbs are not the enemy!  

I am also absolutely loving the community this group offers to every single person enrolled.  So much positive information and generosity! We all work hard to get our workouts done and celebrate with good food and lots of enthusiasm!  I have learned an entirely different way to eat … yet it is the same in that I still get my smoothies, I still eat the produce I love … but it’s a great experience for me to learn how to get more protein in with more fats!  Still have my coffee every am and have gotten to actually enjoy my desserts or treats on leg day! What? … donuts, muffins, whatever... you get to put it into your plan for that day! And no guilt!

I’m done for today … need to get to bed earlier tonight.  Tomorrow is an active recovery day that includes a good walk with my pup!  The days are getting longer … soon we will spring ahead and have that extra daylight and start feeling the vibes of Spring!

Xo,

k

Week 1 Faster Way ... still learning macros!

So this has been an amazing experience so far!  Last week I completed the official “prep week” which was actually flexible … a bit overwhelming at first but a great way to start!  There is a new client portal that explains all the components to the program. In the prep week, you receive instruction on how to use the app to input food  and workouts are given out to test. In this program you can either work out at home or at the gym if you have a membership. Anyone can do this! There is also a beginner workout plan if you haven’t been active before …  Very little equipment needed! You also become part of a closed FB page with your own coach and other members who are part of the six week (really it’s 7 weeks) program with you. Everyday there are posts from your coach and you are accountable by posting a screenshot of your macros each day.  Members share food ideas, recipes, comments and encouragement throughout the day.

I have learned that timing is so important.  You can actually eat carbs and not feel guilty!  You can work just about anything in as long as it falls in the macros for your day!  Intermittent fasting is not impossible! By fasting you are able to deplete the fat stores your body is holding onto …

Instead of adding glycogen that is not burned off to more glycogen, your body goes through cycles.  And you eat. Alot. I’m eating more than I did when I was pregnant! Sounds crazy right?

I have found that this kind of lifestyle is completely doable and although I admit it, I’m waiting for a possible rebound effect … or something to turn me off.  But that would really have to be a 180 at this point. I have more energy … I skip up the stairs, I sleep deeper, I don’t miss my dairy, gluten or wine as much as I thought I would … and yes you’re allowed wine, I’m just choosing to limit it to one glass a week at this point.

The day before prep week began, we sent in our measurements to our coach.  Ten days after I sent them in, I was curious if I had changed. Because I felt different … so I was prepared for a little bit of a change.  My jeans were fitting better and I was enjoying that! So I was really shocked to measure the 5 spots and have lost 5.75 inches. Wait. What?!

So tomorrow is an active recovery day … and I’m all set with what I’m eating the next two days!  It’s all good …. Stay tuned for the week 2 feels.

Faster Way ... What is it?

How I got to the point of trying the FASTER WAY TO FAT LOSS PROGRAM: Initially when I saw this program, I just skipped over it. I disregard all fads and trends with eating and dieting. I believe in quality food in, exercise, self care and all will be well. I have been trained in holistic health care and believe in pure foods without chemicals … only organic and believe in as much plant based nutrition as anything else. I love fresh foods and have adopted a lifestyle that supports healthy habits, working out, meditating, acupuncture and chiropractic care. I am truly content with this ... most of the time. I have learned so much the last 8 months or so about mindset and the benefits of letting things go that no longer serve you. Combined with 2 years of a clutter clearing program, I feel like I have learned to make room in my life for the things that make me happy and donate everything that keeps me stuck in the past. This has included clothing, furniture, books, decorations, towels, bedding, and even my mask I wore during radiation therapy 6 years ago. None of these things brought me great joy so I gave them a new life somewhere else! As my two girls have grown to be more independent, I have become more centered on my self-care and try to spread my enthusiasm for women to cherish themselves and not feel guilty about it. Although I have always figuratively felt this way, I always put my family before my own needs!!! I think most mothers can relate to this .. but now, I feel like it’s time to focus on me … like REALLY diving in to what sparks me. I have been catering to the family and our home for 20+ years and as much as I thought I knew what I wanted to do as they left the nest, I was confused. How do I help people with their nutrition, self-care, staying fit and healthy when there were so many conflicting reports on just about everything?! So I thought it would be best to quiet the mind, and let things flow to me. After reading and listening to Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Esther Hicks, Jess Lively, Brooke Castillo, and so many more authors and motivated people, I have opened my heart to gratitude and learned that all things come to you, when you are ready for them.For me that just meant I needed to listen to my heart and stop the “shoulding.” Long story short … after journeying through my training at Institute for Integrative Nutrition, being diagnosed with a brain tumor, moving on to writing a book on feeding athletic families, studying reiki, studying feng shui and clutter clearing, I seemed to have cycled back to my love of movement in structured workouts and re-working my diet to include the holistic foods I have eaten for decades. I feel I am resetting the rhythm of my body with a new perspective. As I enter into my 52nd year on this planet, I’ve noticed, yet accepted new issues related to aging. I really chose not to complain about much … I’m here and so blessed! I appreciate my life every single day! I felt guilty complaining about anything! But … I wasn’t happy with a few more pounds here and there … and as my PA tells me every 6 months at my bloodwork review, the female body changes as the estrogen levels drop and you enter into the transitional phase of perimenopause and eventually menopause. It just happens. So, I thought to myself, “I guess this is part of who I am now … I’m working out, eating right but things change.” Somehow after months of learning no one is perfect, and it’s best to flow with the river and not against it I came across this new way of eating. Combined with specific types of exercise depending on your intake of macros … it seems to have hooked thousands of people with astounding results. Not just the physical kind … but all kinds of benefits including … lower blood pressure, lower resting heart rates, energy levels increasing, aches and pains from inflammation down, no cravings, better sleep, confidence, and the results go on and on. Well, I am at the point of starting the FWTFL program … I’ve jumped ahead to try it out … and I am happy to report I am one week down with dairy free (OMG BLACK COFFEE!), working out every day with respect to what the macronutrient goals are for the day, and I have gone a few nights now with no red wine before bed (ANOTHER BIG CHANGE)! Join me as I start my program to feel more energized, lose the fat that essentially brings down my confidence in myself, pride myself on actually intermittently fasting every day for 16 hours and gain control in what I am eating as I love structured plans! I love to inspire those who may be feeling the same way about themselves and perhaps be ready to reset their bodies into a new beginning. Much Love, Krista

Back to the Blog

I debated this ... Did this blog still exist? I started it 9 years ago when blogs were just starting to be available ... a combo of medical updates and my passion for healthy lifestyles. Things change over the years. I mean I was in the middle of two kids who needed me to drive them all over for everything they did! Then it slowed down, and I lost interest in writing about what new health ideas were being published. The last 5 years have been overwhelming as far as food trends: how to exercise, what you can eat, what you shouldn't eat, keto friendly diets, whole 30, foods that were sustainable, farm to table, carb v no-carb, dairy v non-dairy, and the lists go on! I decided to eat the best way I could, exercise when it was appealing (or someone inspired me), and make the best of what my kids ate. I mean I did my best and that's all I could do. I continue to love all areas of health and wellness. I think I've been super lucky to have certain things pop into my life at the right times to completely transform some older ways of thinking and shake me out of my comfort zone! I mean remember the book I wrote a few years back? I was in the "full time kid-athlete" zone and really didn't make time for myself. Nothing new ... I think most moms I see with littles are having a tough time finding time for themselves. But here's the thing ... YOU NEED TO MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF! Did I mention I haven't had time for myself until now?? My kids are now 18 and 20! I could have MADE TIME if I didn't feel guilty. Most women I know are always busy caring for others. The kids, the husband/significant other, the pets, the parents, and if time allows, a shopping spree on Amazon. Hear me now: LOVE YOURSELF FIRST! It's contagious ... set the bar high and you will teach those kids of yours a lesson. SELF CARE IS GIVING THE WORLD THE BEST OF YOU, INSTEAD OF WHAT'S LEFT OF YOU! If this is something that you can relate to, stay tuned. I have lots to organize in my brain and share with those who are into self-care. If not, no worries. Just skip the blog posts (although I have heard they are making a digital comeback lol!), check out the instagram stories and let me know if you're interested in staying in the health loop. Much Love, k

Playing the Game ...

 

As I'm home waiting to bring my daughter to her doctor's appointment to confirm a fractured ankle that was diagnosed last night in the ER, I thought about blogging again.  I haven't found the need to write in over six months.  Nothing really got me going as photography has become my true creative outlet.  However,  as I was looking at my photos from last's night's game,  I saw something I needed to vent about.

As parents of athletes, we know our place in the stands well.  We love to support our teams and our children, be there when they need us, be there when they don't think they need us (lol!), and have a good time watching the development of their team and themselves.  Right?  But one of the biggest fears is having a game called by referees who seem to forget how to call a game.

Time and time again it happens and of course refs are people too and they will make mistakes  (I know what it is like to be second guessed as I was an NJSIAA official for high school gymnastics).  However, when refs do not set up the parameters of  the game, all rules go out the window and athletes are essentially on their own to defend themselves on the field.  Believe me, I'm all for them playing their heart out and pushing it to the next level, but sometimes they push it because they know they can pull it off without getting called for it.

I'm not upset about our girls losing games.  I am not upset about even an unfairly called game so much as I am about letting them play in a game that is dangerous.  Soccer is definitely an impact sport!  With all the concussions and injuries happening, it is a risk that all players take as they step onto the field.  My problem is that the refs need to be refreshed in the current way the sport is being ruled.

When the ref told my daughter after being tossed around that, "It was all ball,"  she thought he was joking ...

Okay ...

My question is why do NJ high schools only use a two man referee system?  FIFA does not recognize a two man system.  If this was football, and another ref was needed, it would be no problem.  The game has limits when only two referees are watching.  We finally get a three man system if the team makes it to semi-finals in counties.  But ...  travel and club games ... they use a three man system for every full sided game.  This makes absolutely no sense!  And here's my last rant ... for those players who play club year round, I know they get a lot of pressure not to play in high school - this is why.  Too many injuries that make it hard to continue playing.  

So sad, because the love of the game, the good friends they grew up with and trying to make their high school proud is why they play.

Here's to the game ... and those that try their best to call a fair, safe game!

Have a great weekend!

3 Days till Spring!

Happy St Patty's Day!

Here is a great way to get your greens in!  Maybe tomorrow after the corned beef is consumed ;) or you need to find something interesting to kick off Spring on Saturday.  I know kale has been overdone in the superfood cultures,  but this just tastes good.  I could eat the whole platter myself so here goes:

Lemon-Basil Kale
Serves 2-3 Enjoy!!!
3/4 pound of kale (about 6 cups chopped) 2 cups water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons salt to taste
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
*Variety - Add 1 cup fresh or frozen corn with the kale in step 1. Cook along with the kale for 4 to 5 mins. Continue with recipe.

1.  Wash kale and strip leaves off the stalks. Discard the stalks. Chop the kale into bite- sized pieces. Bring the water to a boil in a 10 to 12 inch skillet with a tightly fitted top. Add the kale, cover, and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain, saving the cooking liquid to drink.

2. Rinse out and dry skillet, then use it to heat the olive oil over medium heat, lifting and tilting the pan to coat. Add garlic and sizzle for 15 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent browning or burning.
   
3. Add basil and saute for 15 seconds more. Add kale and stir until heated through. Season to taste with the salt. Stir in lemon juice and serve immediately.
   

***It is important to add the lemon juice after the the greens are cooked and just before serving. If you cook greens with an acid you turn bright green vegetables into a drab army green color. 

 Be Well,
Krista

Blood Red Oranges

I had no idea that different oranges had different benefits ... I mean aren't they famous for fighting colds, tasting sweet and looking pretty on your plate?  Last week I was fortunate to have lunch with a dear friend of mine who mentioned how she uses them so I picked some up on one of my runs to the market.

So here's the deal on the benefits:  they are grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Etna in Sicily and have high levels of antioxidants.  Their pigment (see pic below) is also the same found in blueberries that ranks high in antioxidants.  Anthocyanins are the natural compounds that are known for their antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, the ability to fight disease that comes with age, keeping LDL cholesterol from accumulating, preventing heart disease, cancer and diabetes.  Wow!  The list goes on ... Vitamin A does the job of keeping our retinas and skin healthy and the Calcium keeps our teeth and bones strong!  Although regular sweet oranges have benefits, they are not as nutritious as these blood red varieties.

So, once again there are all these facts (that I am terrible at recalling) that push us to eat colorful food.  No need to know why exactly you should be trying them,  just try to get color on your plates!   After the long winter most of us have endured, start introducing one new color a week if you can!  If you have young athletes and your Spring season has kicked off,  just put a plate out on the counter ... enjoy!

Wishing you much color this week!!
Krista

The Sweet Spot

Yay!  Spring is almost here!   Anyone else sync with the seasons like myself?  I think we're all ready to come out of winter hibernation asap.  Makes Spring that much sweeter when the Winter has just kind of well ... put you over the edge just a bit? 

I apologize to those of you I haven't seen in awhile ... but I am a homebody come winter.  Period.  My vitamin D levels are great,  but I tend to be happy in my little warming hut we call home.

Ok, back to reality ... so psyched! Some energy and motivation coming back and honestly with no snow days or delayed openings this week,  I actually have time to write!  I just wanted to get back to sharing ideas and maybe some new recipes with all of you who have asked where I went!

I made this recipe last week because my family does enjoy their chocolate mousse.  I don't even know what possessed me to make a dessert, but how could I say no to dark chocolate, ricotta cheese, cinnamon and a little brown sugar? Everyone needs a little sweet treat now and then ...

Chocolate Mousse Cups

Ingredients:
4 oz dark chocolate  (I love dark but you can use milk)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups ricotta cheese

Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl over boiling water.  Blend everything in a food processor (my VitAMix was great) until smooth.  Spoon into cups (I used 4 of my grandmother's old ice cream dishes) and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour.

Serve topped with whipped cream and a dusting of grated chocolate ... if you haven't eaten all of it by now!

Recipe courtesy of The Forest Feast by erin gleeson

Here's to warmer weather, longer days, flowers waking up and good times over good food ... my sweet spot!

Krista

Somewhere in Jackson Square, New Orleans 2 weeks ago 

Veggie Slump?

Is the winter putting you into a rut in the kitchen?  The usual not so spectacular anymore?  I love simple meals but the usual green salad I make every night for the kids and my man, is getting boring.  I get my greens in every morning with my smoothie, but I know they definitely need some color on their dinner plates in the winter.

Easy peasy carrots that aren't the usual soft chopped strips?  Try these, I think you'll all like them!

Crispy Carrot Chips

Ingredients:
4 large carrots
3 T. olive oil
1/2 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. curry powder

1.  Use a peeler and make ribbons from 4 large carrots.  Trim the ends.
2.  Combine the olive oil, salt and curry. 
3.  Mix the carrot ribbons with the oil, salt and curry.
4.  Bake at 325 degrees until the edges are crispy.

Enjoy! 

Krista

Close up shot of raw carrot ribbon ... sorry french fries, we like your cousin better tonight!

Magical Turkey Orzo Soup

Happiness is when you walk in the door and it smells like what your grandmother's house smelled like ...

This morning I posted about last night's dinner ... sorry it was a late night!  I had a nice piece of leftover turkey breast that I knew was going into a soup.  Didn't know what else was going in, but it was the basic chicken noodle standard with some added new flavors.

I don't know if it's because we have actually been using the dining room (bc the kitchen is so full of stuff lateley), or the mood everyone was in, but I felt like my day synced up nicely over a simple bowl of soup and warm bread.

If you or anyone in your family has been fighting an illness (as there are many with flu-like symptoms and coughs going around), there's nothing like a good bowl of chicken soup.  It's a nutrient dense easy to digest food and liquid that can help your immune system.  Try to use the best ingredients like organic celery (as it's one of the worst offenders of pesticides), organic free-range chicken or turkey (most chickens from the grocery store are grown at lightning speed to fatten them up and fed corn and antibiotics which of course get into our systems that make it difficult to fight infection on our own).

Not too much work goes into making soup ... the waiting for all the flavors to come together isn't terribly long, but the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. 

Magical Turkey Orzo Soup

Ingredients:
2 (32 ounce) boxes of chicken stock
1 cup of chopped onion (or more to taste)
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of diced carrots
olive oil to coat pot
2 cups or so of cooked turkey (or chicken), chopped into bite sized pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
grated fresh ginger
juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
a pinch of Old Bay seasoning
1 cup frozen organic corn
1 tablespoon flavored vinegar (I used an orange champagne variety but red wine is good too)
cooked orzo (cook separately and add to pot when ready to eat)
fresh sprig of rosemary chopped
fresh sprigs of parsley torn up

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot.  Add onions, carrots, and celery.  Cook until tender.
2. Add chicken stock/broth.  Combine well and heat through.
3. Add turkey
4. Season with the following:  salt, pepper, ginger (I don't measure, I just use a grater and count till at least 20!), lemon juice, thyme, parsley, Old Bay.  Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
5. Add frozen corn.  Cook until tender.
6. Add vinegar along with orzo, fresh rosemary and parsely.  Heat thoroughly and let flavors blend.

That's it!  I generally don't measure so use your judgement in the seasonings.  You can always add spices, you cannot take away!  I absolutely love the vinegar at the end of cooking process.  It gives it a fantastic pop of flavor with less salt needed to finish.

Hope your next dinner is magical!
Enjoy,
Krista

Throwback Thursday with Santa from Pequannock Co 1 Firehouse

So miss these visits!!!

Roasted Lemon Broccoli

"More Broccoli Please!"

Have you ever heard that one?  Not too often here either!

I am not a huge lover of broccoli unless it's stir-fried but I needed to get some other veggie on the table the other night, so I threw some ingredients together, fired up the oven and threw them in.

I'm not kidding when I tell you I OFTEN burn meals.

I forget I have food in the oven because I forget to set a timer.  Distracted multi-tasker.  But this time it worked out.  Although the broccoli wasn't burnt, it was awesome as a crunchy roasted lemony side.

So set the oven to 425 degrees.  Get out a cookie sheet or roasting pan.

Roasted Lemon Broccoli

1 head of broccoli flowerets
1-2 lemons
olive oil
salt
pepper
dusting of Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Chop up the broccoli into bite sized pieces.
2. Juice the lemons into a small bowl.  Add enough olive oil to match the amount of lemon juice (or more olive oil depending on your tastes).   Add a good sprinkling of salt and pepper.
3. Place broccoli on roasting pan.  Pour mixture over it.  Mix well making sure broccoli is coated.
4. Place in oven.  Check at 10 minutes.  Turn.  Check again in 10 minutes.  Let it crisp up and take out.
5. Toss with Parmesan cheese (optional).

I actually served this the other night with the raspberry chicken.  I didn't post last night because I had no recipe to share! I had a turkey breast that I seasoned with salt and pepper, brushed olive oil over it, covered with foil and hoped for the best when I put it in the oven at 425 degrees.  The oven was that hot because I had to throw in a frozen pizza for an early pre-swim snack.  It's hard to have dinner ready at 4:00!  They get on the bus at 4:10 and don't get home till 8:30!  The turkey was great and now I have leftovers for soup today.  All is well!

My other green obsession!  

Enjoy!

Krista

Chicken Chili

Chasing the cold chill away with a hot bowl of chili works for me!

This is not my usual full of veggie style chili.  I just needed to get this done fast and I was curious to see if my kids ate more as I left out the peppers and beans.  All the rest of it stayed the same so I was surprised they didn't cheer when I told them no beans, no peppers.  Maybe they do like those!!

I used a ground chicken for this one ... have never used that before but when I find organic meat that is not the usual chicken breast, whole chicken, or beef, I grab it.  It worked out great, but of course, you can use beef or turkey to make this chili.

Chicken Chili

8 servings (1 1/3 cups each)

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 lb ground chicken
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
1 Tablespoon chili powder (or more to taste)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups of Merlot or other red wine
2 28 oz cans of whole tomatoes (I blended up one can to smooth it out)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

*Feel free to add more garlic, a jalapeno pepper, kidney beans and 1 cup of chopped green pepper.

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add onions.  Cook until tender.  Add ground chicken and cook until browned, stirring to crumble.  
2. Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients, and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.  Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and cook for 30 minutes or until desired consistency.  Discard the bay leaves.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and add a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Serve with a nice green salad!

If you're in the Northeast this week, you will get wet!  It's either raining or snowing and that can make some people cranky!  Lucky for me, my animals keep me laughing and busy as I'm often referee in the morning between the three of them ;)

Sleeping off his tough day 

Stay warm and happy!

Krista

Raspberry Chicken

Happy Monday night!

Made this last night as one of those repeat meals!  Because it's easy and I had the ingredients ... simple.  I've listed this before but it's worth another post.  The sauce is really nice and I think it would match up nicely with a white fish if you're able to swing that with your family!

Carmelized Onion Chicken

(serves 4)

1 lb of chicken tenders
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
1 t. olive oil
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 t. minced ginger  (I use a micro-plane to grate it when frozen)
1/2 t. dried rosemary
fresh rosemary to garnish

Directions:
1.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and saute for 2 minutes.  Add chicken to the pan, saute 8 minutes or until chicken is done.  Remove onion and chicken from pan.
2.  Add jam and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Return chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes stirring occasionally.

Yield:  each serving size is 3 ounces of chicken and 1 T. sauce.  I usually double it and it all goes with just enough for my lunch the next day. Today I put the chicken in a wrap with scooped out sweet potato left over from dinner and topped it off with some cranberry sauce for lunch.  So good!

Have to mention the upcoming holiday frenzy ... I'm so far behind.

No tree, no presents, just started a list today.

Not the happiest feeling when you feel so slow compared to the friends who have already sent their cards, have their tree lit, house done, and even cookies baked!  But I have to say, this weekend I was in Virginia visiting my alma mater with Hannah for a soccer camp.  We somehow managed to time it so that we stumbled upon the town's Christmas parade.  It was exactly what we needed to feel the Christmas spirit.  To hear little voices sing out "Merry Christmas" as they went by on their floats was so sweet.  It was simple.  Happy.  Made my heart melt as I remembered when my kids were that little.  I wish we could turn back the hands of time, but it made me appreciate the holiday for what it is today.

Harrisonburg, Virginia

Stay sane everyone!  Don't let your list of to-do's make you forget about the simple joys!

Krista

Green Season

Easy Greens

People look at green drinks with bewilderment.  They just look strange if you're not used to them.  I love getting in 2 big handfuls of spinach in the morning! Keeps me on track for the rest of the day.  

My usual green drink is easy to make and doesn't taste as it looks.  However, yesterday morning I added two drops of an orange essential oil that made me really happy!  It was like a summer creamsicle in my blender! 

Here you go:

Green Creamsicle

1 cup coconut water
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 banana
5 icecubes
1-2 drops of orange essential oil

Put into blender.
Blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

If you need any vanilla or chocolate protein powder, I have some extra as I over-ordered!  Message me if you're interested.  Also, if you need some essential orange oil, let me know.  It is not an expensive investment to make this drink for yourself in this stressful month.  Keeps you running without caffeine!  Don't get me wrong, my coffee is part of my routine too!

 Protein packed Green Creamsicle

Enjoy,

Krista

Penne with Vodka Sauce

Pasta Night

I know a lot of you already have a recipe for this, so if you want to pass yours along to the rest of us, please do!  I never make this but thought we needed something quick and easy tonight as the Cowboys are playing at 8:25 pm.  That means my dear husband, who unfortunately is a Cowboys fan (lol!), will be bringing out his winter beers and setting up in the family room.  I'd like to be out of the kitchen/family room to escape his loud clapping!!! 

Ok, I digress but since starting this week's recipe blog, I have felt a bit more organized, but the December schedule is really busy on all fronts.  Everyone is being pulled in all directions so at least if we have a meal to eat together, it helps us connect.  Most of the time the humor is sarcastic from the kids, but we have a good laugh and all is well.

Penne with Vodka Sauce

16 ounces uncooked penne pasta
2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/3 cups finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
8 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup reduced fat milk
2/3 cup vodka
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons finely chopped basil

1. Cook pasta according to directions, omitting salt and butter.  Drain.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, cover and cook 3 minutes or until tender. Add tomato sauce, simmer, partially covered, 8 minutes or until thick.  Combine flour and water, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Add flour mixture to the pan, cook 1 minute.  Add half-and-half, milk, vodka, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil.  Stir in cheese.  Reduce heat to low, cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently.  Add pasta, toss to coat.  Sprinkle with basil.  

Makes 8 servings that are 1 1/3  cups each.

This was really good in my opinion ... not as much butter as some recipes I've seen.  Of course there's half and half, milk and parm cheese!  All I can say is eat a great salad with this to keep your belly happy.  Use the best quality products you can find.  And enjoy it.  Once in awhile you can have a nice vodka sauce!  Especially if you make it!  The best part of my dinner tonight was my daughter helped me.  She cranked her 1D music and we measured, stirred and tasted.  She handled the kitchen while I ran out to get my daughter from practice.  Yay!  Help!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!
Krista

 Our Giants/Cowboys rivalry last year! 

Chicken and Apples in the Crock

'Tis the season for easy recipes!

Because I picked up a whole chicken yesterday and actually had apple cider in my fridge, this was a no-brainer.  Love my crock pot, especially right now.  The rainy day made it even better.

This recipe calls for 6 boneless chicken breasts so I wasn't sure if the whole chicken thing would work.  But I knew I had to use it otherwise I had to freeze it and it's no fun when you have to defrost.  So I gave it a go, adding some cinnamon and brown sugar to the original recipe.

Chicken and Apples in the Crock

Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 whole chicken or 6 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3 Granny Smith apples, cored and thickly sliced
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1. In a small bowl, combine apple cider, vinegar, nutmeg, cinnamon and curry powder.
2. In a small microwave safe bowl, combine butter, onions and garlic.  Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until onion is softened.  Place mixture in bottom of slow cooker.
3. Place chicken into slow cooker, basting with the juice to coat all sides of it.  Pour remaining mixture over the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until chicken is tender.  
5. Remove about a cup of the liquid from the cooker to a small bowl.  Add the 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar and mix until dissolved.  
6. Add apples along with the brown sugar mixture and cook 40-50 minutes longer or until apples are tender.
7. Mix together 1/3 cup juices from the crock and 1 T cornstarch in a small bowl.  Stir back into the crockpot.  Cover and cook on high, until sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.  

**Note on the whole chicken:  if you want to save even more time, use the boneless chicken breasts.  Although the chicken was amazingly tender, you do have to deal with the bones and separating the meat.  I do love having leftovers from the whole chicken to make soup with the next day.

 Found brussel sprouts at the store that were already sliced and ready to throw in a pan with some olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese.  Was so easy and really good. 

Sometimes just walking in your house and smelling this awesome meal makes everyone happy.  The investment in a few minutes of prep and planning is huge!!!  Not just for the fam ... but for you. Once it's started, it is off that nagging list in your head.

Done!

Back to Christmas shopping!

Happy Eating,
Krista

Taco Salad Tuesday!!!

I know it sounds like I'm way too excited for taco salad as I used three exclamation points in the title. 

If you didn't see my post from yesterday, I'll sum it up for you in a few words:  I don't like to cook. 

Some days I despise cooking, however when it's done and the family is pumped to hear "Raspberry Chicken" night, I cannot surrender to take out.  It makes it worth it!

The other reason I cook is of course because garbage in equals garbage out.  I haven't been making too many salads lately and my daughter came home from school and made her own salad ... that's huge for her!  So I realize they do crave some good stuff after all.

Ok, so I started last night with my famous raspberry chicken.  I will post that another night (although it is up a few times on the blog from other posts).  But tonight I took out an old Cooking Light cookbook and tweaked a recipe that was so easy and reminded me of a burrito bowl at Chipotle.  It's versatile enough for my picky family and can easily use leftover chicken instead of beef.

Taco Salad

Best to assemble ingredients ahead of time and then just throw all together.  Add or delete what ingredients your family might like.  I put some guacamole on the side, didn't have tomatoes, and put the beans in a separate bowl so my kids didn't complain.  Next time I think I'll add some shredded carrots just for some added color or add some sweet bell peppers to the mix.

1 pound of ground sirloin (grass fed if possible)
1 taco seasoning package
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
8 cups shredded lettuce (I chose organic prewashed romaine)
4 cups of broken tortilla chips
2 cups fresh tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 (15 oz) can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

1. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble.  Stir in taco seasoning and water.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Combine sour cream and salsa in a small bowl.
3. Combine beef mixture, lettuce, tortilla chips, tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese, and beans in a large bowl.  Drizzle sour cream mixture over the salad and toss gently.  Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and top with olives.  Serve immediately.

Makes about 8 servings that are 2 cups each.

 Tossed Taco Salad ... minus beans and tomatoes!

Oh, and those 3 exclamation points up there in the title?  When I was in college, the dining hall at James Madison University had taco salad on Thursdays.  It was the best day of the week in our opinion!

Hope this inspires some of you to make dinner tomorrow night ... so easy and everyone was happy. Just make up your mind for dinner to be an investment in your family :)

Happy Eating,
Krista

New Season ... New Thinking

Happy December Everyone!

I have been away from writing for a few months and I really do miss it!

Here's the thing ... I almost always write about food.  Whether it be menu planning, healthy ideas, easy meals, time saving strategies, it's always about food.

I have to be honest here ...  I really do not like to cook.  There ... I said it.

I hate cooking.  Even better.

I hate shopping, prepping, cooking (which often results in me burning the meal), and cleaning up.  I've kinda slipped back to winging it many nights.  And it's been ok, we've somehow managed to eat every night.

I have so many other things I LOVE to do.  I'm in love with looking through the lens of my camera to see things in a simple, efficient, creative way.  I get lost in time just shooting a sunset - which is usually why I burn dinner.

Cooking is a chore to me that I know needs top priority as my active family needs to refuel after all those practices and games.  It's just not my favorite thing to do.  But I feel the difference when I don't eat well.  I can't imagine putting out all the energy they do almost every single day and not eating well.

So what I thought I would do, is for the month of December, I will be posting a recipe 4 nights each week to keep me on track.  If anyone wants to join along they can just jump in.

I also have a new website that I'd love to post these recipes on.  Click here to check it out:  Refuel Your Game.  I'll continue to post the blogs on fb as well ... tomorrow night will be the first recipe.  I guess I need to dust off the binder of good meals. 

One last thought ... we had a great Thanksgiving weekend!  A big thank you to my sister and her husband for hosting, my mom for making a fantastic turkey and my nephews for entertaining us at the dinner table.  So much to be grateful for!  Then there's the soccer tournament weekend.  It's been a really busy fall that just keeps going.  After another weekend away, my husband says to me ... "Remember when our biggest decision was what poem we would read to the girls at night before bedtime?  There was no worry over what college to consider, the logistics of being away for tournaments, if we could schedule any hours for Hannah to drive with her instructor, how to get to the chiropractor when there's no time?  I'm going to get that book "A Pizza the Size of the Sun" and read it to them tonight!"

And he did.  The giggles and cozying up were priceless.  They were so happy.  And that is how we ended our 4 day weekend.  I'm terribly blessed and ready to take December in stride.

Much Joy,
Krista

Thanksgiving!

Oh and if you love photography and want to see what I've been up to (no soccer shots I swear!) follow me on Instagram at kdn3. 

Wondering What I "Should" Be Doing Right Now ...

Ok, so my lack of blogs and information sharing is starting to get to me lately.   Why can’t I sit myself down and just get all those easy recipes out there or maybe some new tool I found to make your life easier?

Simple I guess ... seasonal summer brain.
I love lazy and carefree days.

And I am seriously off schedule.  As much as I try to get up and follow the routine that is in my head, I just love to wander off and explore other stuff.  Like what flowers are blooming today in my garden, or what flower wants to be photographed, or maybe if the hummingbird found that feeder yet?  I am probably attention deficit as I'm getting older.  So hard for me to finish the task put in front of me. 

I wonder if it’s my aging brain (trying to keep it active with those memory games on my ipad), my lack of set schedule, the weather,  or maybe the kids being home.  I mean I write about the importance of keeping a set menu and shopping with a list!  How is it that my refrigerator is empty and we are ordering out *gasp* more than ever?  I am actually hungry as I write this at my daughter’s speed school! 

I never want to wish for Fall because that means Summer will be over. 

But I am hurting for some semblance of a schedule. 

I guess I don’t hate schedules like I thought I did. 

Deep breath ... two teenage girls in the house ... money being spent like crazy ... not much time for my husband and I to do date nights ... vet bills, dental bills, soccer teams, and the list goes on.  But you know what?  It’s all going to be ok ... I am grateful for the craziness.  Maybe not at this moment, but I am very thankful to have a family who makes me happy and proud most of the time.  I am in love with my furry best friend who is showing signs of aging lately, I am grateful we have two cars to shuttle around our busy kids, and I am grateful we get to spend a lot of time in our cars catching up with each other as we go to the events.   That’s what I’ll remember when they’re gone.  Not my lack of cooking meals this summer or keeping the house presentable.

I know so many people going through the never-ending challenges of raising a family and are strapped financially, emotionally (did I mention I am the mother of two teenage girls?) and just plain tapped out.

My only thoughts right now are be grateful for what you have right now, at this moment.  Look around you.  Where are you right now?  What makes you happy right now? 

 There are always things we would like to be better.  It’s how you deal with them that give you the strength to pull ahead and not fall behind and feel lost.  Gratitude journals make it simple to ground yourself and put it out there that you’re happy, even if this day is not the easiest.

Ok, thank you for listening.  I will go home and make a shopping list and get some food back in the house.  Sometimes a good meal does wonders for everyone.  And maybe a glass of wine ;)

At least that’s what I am expecting.

Be Well,
Krista

**Keep an eye out for my newly designed website in the near future.  I do have my program for 30 days of meal planning and shopping lists available at your convenience!  I did the planning for you - you just have to test them out with your family!

Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad

Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad

Easiest salad on earth for a sweet boost of energy!

My family loves watermelon.  This simple summer fruit has so many benefits besides tasting good!

For the athletes in your house, the easy to digest watermelon is the greatest recovery snack after workouts.  Rich in amino acids these chunks of sweetness help with sore muscles and recovery time.  L-citruline is rich in nitric oxide oxide, a gas that widens blood vessels which help in removing lactic acid build up. 

Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad                    

Ingredients:
fresh watermelon cut into chunks
balsamic glaze (or similar dressing) *
fresh mint finely chopped
crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Combine the watermelon, mint and feta cheese.
Sprinkle a few drops of the balsamic glaze over the top.
Toss gently.
Enjoy!


A huge thank you goes out to the CVS Physicians Assistant who told me about this salad!  We were exchanging foodie ideas and she brought this up.  I went home and threw it together.  Just a nice side to make when you have so much watermelon you don’t know what to do with it! 

*I use the balsamic glaze available at Trader Joe’s.  A few drops are full of flavor!

Enjoy!

Krista